Maybe Next Year
After 50 years of hosting the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), the San Diego Convention Center has canceled the well-known event due to the coronavirus pandemic. A recent tweet from the organization and an update on their website have determined the outcome of their decisions while explaining any immediate questions attendees might have right off the bat.
The event will make its return next year from July 22-25 of 2021.
The last few weeks have been an unprecedented time. Since it is becoming apparent that COVID-19 restrictions will not be a short-term matter, we have made the sad decision to cancel Comic-Con for the first time in its 50-year history.
— Comic-Con International (@Comic_Con) April 17, 2020
Comic-Con released a statement regarding their decision to make the cancellation, in the wake of other events being either postponed or canceled altogether.
Recognizing that countless attendees save and plan for its conventions each year, and how many exhibitors and stakeholders rely upon its events for a major portion of their livelihood, they had hoped to delay this decision in anticipation that COVID-19 concerns might lessen by summer. Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the Governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year. – Comic-Con Front Page
The WonderCon Anaheim, for example, faced a similar situation with their original event for April 10-12, 2020 because of the same issue; it will return next year from March 26-28, 2021.
To protect public health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, the California Department of Public Health announced a recommendation that gatherings and events of more than 250 people should either be postponed or cancelled. (1/4)
— WonderCon (@WonderCon) March 12, 2020
Many services for refunds, returns, and other resources have been notified once the announcement was made on the website. Badges that were purchased for Comic-Con 2020 can be optioned to either be refunded or transferred to next year’s Comic-Con for 2021. Hotel reservations are also being worked around during the crisis for those who were planning on attending the event.
David Glanzer, a spokesperson for the event’s organization, said in a statement that the right decision was made, that “extraordinary times require extraordinary measures.” In order to appeal to the social distancing and California’s regulations with multiple attendees within a single environment, it seemed only a matter a time until the big Comic-Con event was going to be affected by the virus.
